Troll

Troll (Swedish Troll - charm, magic) - a supernatural creature from Norse mythology - a dwarf, a giant, a witch. In computer games trolls are mountain spirits associated with the stone, usually hostile to man. Trolls often appear in fantasy literature, usually mixed with images of ogres and mountainous giants. [1]
Trolls in Mythology
Legends of trolls originated in Scandinavia. According to legend, they scare the locals with its size and witchcraft. According to other legends trolls lived in castles and underground palaces. In the north of Britain, there are a few large rocks, of which there are legends - as if this is a troll, caught the sunlight. In mythology, trolls are not only huge giants like ogres, but small, gnomish creatures usually live in caves (such trolls commonly called forest). Details of the image in the folklore of trolls are highly dependent on the ethnic group. Sometimes they are described variously even in the same legend. Most often trolls - ugly creatures, from three to eight feet tall (sometimes can change their size), almost always attribute appearance troll in images is a very big nose. Have the nature of a stone (born out of the rock), turning to stone in the sun. Eat meat. Often people eat. Live one in caves, woods or under bridges. Trolls under bridges are somewhat different from the usual. In particular, it may appear on the sun, do not eat people, they respect money, greedy for human women (do not see them as food). There are legends about children trolls and human women.
Norway
Carved wooden statues of trolls - the favorite object of handicrafts. The word "troll" is often associated sneftyanymi fields in the North Sea, one of them is called - "Troll" - "Magic." But more to the "troll" is associated, of course, the formation of mountains and rocks, about which people say is the trolls turned to stone, for example: Trolltindy (Magic Truth) Trollholm (Fairy Hill), Trollheimen, Jotunheim and many others. In Norway, there are other place names associated with the trolls, in this case - to the level of evil spirits: Trollvey ("Troll Road"), Trollbotn ("valley of trolls") Trollvann ("lake trolls").
According to the Norwegian tradition, you can see the troll in the deep woods or in the mountains. Troll-looking like a mountain or a giant boulder, covered with moss and heather, and sometimes trees. In Norwegian troll can be one, three, five, six, seven, nine or more goals.
The ancestors of the trolls, in the view of Norwegians are velikany-yotuny/etuny (Norwegian jotun, plural jotner), who stood at the cradle of education in the world. The name "Jotun" in the late folk tradition preserved as "yutul" (Norwegian jutul, jøtul). There is also the Old Norse name "rice" (Norwegian rise). In any case, the word "troll" has become a generic term mining giant, and sometimes refer to the whole evil. Moreover Norse word "magic, witchcraft" also has a root "troll" - "trollskap» (trollskap).
According to legend, the giants were at war with the gods and men. Talk about them, that they are fierce fierce and stubborn. The most famous fighter of Jotun - god Thor. He defeated them with his hammer Mjolnir famous for its courage and cunning. However, there is mention in mythology and how Jotun and asyvlyublyalis each other. In the later folk tradition called gyugrami giantesses.
With the Christianization of Norway, the trolls have a new enemy - St. Olav. Olav had a special gift: he could control the mountains and rocks, was able to pay the troll to stone. Subsequently, the Giants were trying to fight and with churches.
There are stories that the trolls sometimes appear among men in human form. Usually a person can not immediately guess, with whom he was dealing. However, we recommend that, if he became suspicious in any case should not reap a stranger's hand. They can also take the shape of a dog, a black goat or a friendly person with a tail. The main thing - to know how to handle them. First, keep the secret of his name. Do not take on the troll treats and run away so that your tracks formed a cross with a plow furrows in the plowed field. If you met in the valley invite you to follow the troll to light: he okameneet with the appearance of the sun.
Trolls are often kidnapped people. However, the folk tradition provides several ways to protect yourself from trolls or oppose them. First of all, it is, of course, the Christian cross, the sound of church bells and everything else that is associated with the Christian religion. If one were to release a prisoner from the mountains of Troll, then had to ring the bells. If the church has been so far, that is not up to the mountains came the ringing of bells, the bell brought to the mountain and called there.
They say that is not always troll harm to humans, he is kind and serves as a welcoming host. It happens that helps a person to troll, but man - the troll.
As the world changed so much, the trolls have no place in it, but still in the form of high mountains and forested hills, watching them, all is in order in their domains. Perhaps tired of the fuss, they decided to retire and go to the beautiful castle troll Soria-Moria ...
(There trolls. Who's Who in the Norwegian folklore)
Sweden
In Sweden there are trolls myths of both sexes. Their height is 5-8 m, and sometimes higher. Swedish trolls necessarily cause harm, one of the legends associated with the trolls, is a legend of the children with the changeling. According to this legend, trolls steal babies and replace them with their babies. Swedes are building toy "troll houses", is very similar to the present home.
Iceland
Iceland was colonized by Norwegian Vikings, so the folklore here is similar. Icelandic trolls are also "creatures of stone," and many of the details of the landscape are named after trolls.
Troll under the bridge
There are frequent legend of trolls who live under bridges or the bridges built. Trolls usually charge for crossing the bridge with money or service. In some embodiments, the legends connected with the life of the troll bridge. Troll or involved in construction of a bridge or appears immediately after it was built, and the destruction of a bridge troll dies. But there is a perception that the trolls can sometimes leave the old bridge to begin construction of a new one.